The makhila, a prestigious Basque walking stick
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2016
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In the French Basque village of Larressore, the same family has been making the makhila for six generations. This traditional Basque walking stick is made with wood from medlar trees, which is then adorned with engraved metal and has a spike hidden under its knob: the stick can also be used for self-defence. From Charles de Gaulle to Pope Jean-Paul II and Charlie Chaplin, all the great men of the world have received a makhila. "You are here" takes you to discover this pillar of Basque culture.
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The old school ones are so much nicer than the modern ones.
As per most things it would seem
And thats why they alotted much more time documenting the original way
@Yokai369 just my opinion. They look like something I’d want to carry.
The new school craftsman still gives them the same reverence, and that's beautiful in its own way.
Maybe someone in the future will say the same thing
I like the old one.has more character.
Once you print out and use man made materials like carbon fiber it just becomes another toy you bought. The one of a kind craftsmanship plus years for the wood to mature adds something special to the piece that makes you want to care for it more.
LOL you gullible dunce.
@ Nope, he and others who commented the same are right. You're just an edgelord.
Personaly the more traditional has a deeper beauty that the more modern fails to capture.
Modern=cyberpunk
traditional= steam punk.
@@sebastianstewart6894 one way to put it
That seems to be a reoccurring theme in life.
Yeah looks kinda sterile, and soulless. Thats i guess true to any hand made object from organic materials vs modern machined synthetic counterpart.
@@lalli8152 or millenials for that matter
As bladesmith I have just completed making a sword cane. Making a 24" blade is quite an exercise, particularly the heat treatment to harden the steel which tends to warp and twist in the quench. If you find a sword cane with a perfectly straight blade give a thought to the craftsman who made it ....he certainly knew his craft.
pero esto es diferente, tio, esto es un baston de camino vasco, es algo de la tradicion de ese pais, es como los zuecos en Holanda o el sombrero de vaquero en yankilandia, dentro de esa tradicion y forma este baston vasco solo lleva un punzon como arma de ataque, NO ES UN SWORD CANE como tu dices, un sword cane ES OTRA COSA, Y NO ES TRADICION VASCA, igual un sword cane es muy util y seria bueno tener uno, pero este baston, MAKILA, tiene solo un punzon, y esa es la tradicion vasca
@@carloko08 Buenos Noches Senior, I apologize for my lack of Spanish as I would love to know what your reply is to my comment. Unfortunately I live in a p,ace where Spanish is not spoken and I know of no one who speaks Spanish.
@@asotpan google traslator, tio, es muy facil de usar no te preocupes ;)
@@asotpan don't worry, the comment doesn't make much sense
Have seen enormous shafts being heat related, many meters long and mayby 80cm in diameter, the amount of work that goes in that is allso impressive but I was told that the metal has to be bought to temperature verry slowly and allowed to cool verry slowly several times before it is actually quenched in order to relive internal stresses that cause warping.
all second hand info hope you share your work on UA-cam I Will look after posting.
"Give me your money old man!"
"Give me your life!" *Impales robber with a stick*
It would be a little more awkward than that since it's got a lot of threads on the screw, and it doesn't have a large enough pommel to end someone rightly.
@@blargkliggle1121 well... throw your pipe or tobacco pouch to end him rightly, lol. love the skallagrim pomel joke
mankinds evolution has been one long journey towards making pointy metal go farther and faster.
Call the ambulance.... for you!
@@blargkliggle1121 Lindybeige is that you?
No comparison. The traditional one wins hands down.
Handcrafted over technology- Every time! Tradition matters.
Basque Country is a beautiful place, dived between France and Spain
As a Master Carpenter it's obvious that I'd prefer the old style wooden sticks. Wood has a soul, aluminum and carbon fiber doesn't!
Same with hand made..
Every tiny bit of work will be imperfect and therfore one of a kind..
Aluminum can look great if worked well. But I prefer wood and metal over carbon fiber and plastic.
"We take pride in working with the sticks our ancestors made"
**BANG BANG BANG**
As someone from a basque family, its Humbling to learn about this beautiful country and traditions which led to my existance. one day i will visit it
I like the traditional one, and I like the new, space age one. They're both beautiful in their own way.
Use of aluminum is nice and then diamond tip automated engraver also nice but use of color makes me want to puke.
kinda wana buy one for my grandparents just to start a family heirloom
I've always had an appreciation for simple trades like this beautiful
Simple?
So what do you do that makes this simple in comparison?
Damn... I have one of those in my house, it was from my grandpa. I had no idea it was called a makhila. I need to fix it!
jajajaj que terrible, sabes hablar ingles y escribirlo, y dedicaste para ello innumerables horas en el cole y de tu propia voluntad, PERO NO SABIAS QUE EL BASTONCILLO AQUEL SE LLAMABA MAKILA, Y ESO QUE ERA DE TU ABUELO, gran apego a las costumbres de tu pueblo y un enorme conocimiento de quien eres tienes tu
@@carloko08 No es inglés, es un idioma completamente diferente. Los trabajadores están siendo traducidos en el video. La mayoría de los angloparlantes lo llamarían bastón. Como un Ford es un coche, un Makhila es un bastón.
When they said the 2nd craftsman was diverging from tradition I did not expect him to make a clown off of such an ancient art.
Its like his heart is in the right place but nearly everything he's done is screw up.
Especially after the old man talks about the canes they make today were harvested by his grandfather.
Beautiful. Lot of intricate work in this
The new ones look like they made them out of pool que (spelling?, my spell checker isn't getting that one)
It's spelled "cue" and you're right! I preferred wooden cue sticks over carbon fiber when shooting billiards and I'd prefer a wooden walking stick over a modern one!
Beautiful....love the craftsmanship.
Last guys managed to transform a tradition into a glorified plastic stick
Beautiful video, but I sort of lost focus when the end quote was literally about disciplining pupils xD
Incomparable! Beautiful.
The craftsmanship is wounder full . The fact that its all hand made is what makes it so lovely . A machine cant express the love involved in hand making something for someone .
I like the modern ones.
The craftmanship in both is outstanding, but the modern version has no soul!
These are absolutely incredible ❤
I prefer the modern version - very sleek.
I'm beyond jealous of the Basques.
So much history, completely apart and their own.
Nonsense every area has unique history
@@boomerhgt Not like the Basques.
Never make the mistake of comparing the old ways of doing things with new ideas. There is beauty in both.
that last guy is totally ruining it
You'll never get on an airplane with one of those. Security knows what they are.
Omg i cant wait to until i get old!!! gonna buy one of those sticks
you know you can buy one now and take it to formal occasions
Makhila... in Euskera (Basque language..) this means "Gives death.."
(e)mak = gives...
Hila = the death...
(E)mak-hila.... gives the death....by phonetic contraction the (e) disappeared... it's still (makhila..)...
That's interesting, I read that Euskera has no other known root languages. It's all by itself.
Basque peoples are 40% RH negative blood type.
@@mauriceupton1474 I've read that it's closest to ancient greek
@@mauriceupton1474 yep that's fascinating. I recommend Robert Sepehr's videos about the topic
i literally am the physical incarnation of the concept of things making sense.
i say no. think about it. GLORBOZORBTORPULON!!!!!!!!!! ZYTSENDEN KLORKOBORNDO KLEMDOVONTONO!!!!!!!!!!!
@@acain6803 Nope isent even indoeuropean, as Iberian, Pictish or Etruscan who where more probable lenguages related with basque. Anyways, is indigenous of the actual lands, most of place names between Garona and Ebro rivers have basque origin in all lenguages, both rivers inclouded.
There's just something effervescent about the traditional methods of artisan craftsmanship that simply cannot be replicated with modern technology
...fizzy and carbonated?
Amazing! Never heard of. I'm a young man, but this makes me want to walk around with a stick like this.
This is a weapon though it would be illegal in many countries
@@boomerhgt so is any other cane. it's a stick with a big metal knob at the end of it first and foremost.
@@eddiemarohl5789
But the hidden pointy bit makes it a "concealed weapon" in most countries. Whereas a regular walking stick with a heavy knob may still be a decent weapon, but you can easily argue it's just a fancy walking stick and get away with using it.
@@Artyomthewalrus Same with the walking stick/cane in question. What normal person is going to know that there's a spike underneath the handle. It's just a fancy cane or walking stick for most people.
So prestigious
I'd like to purchase one of these!
same
how can one buy these sticks?
If you ever see a old French man unscrewing the top of his walking stick ..... *RUN!*
Tom k.williams basque
"It's beautiful"
*X DOUBT*
Those modern ones are an eyesore.
Sorry but you can't beat hand made. Each one will be unique and one of a kind. Not mass produced.
@@Rudovu So, digital drawings, videogames, digital music, or literally any printed book are not an art now? Ok.
@@Rudovu Cane design still requires a lot of work, skill and expression. Yes, the fact that it's not one-of-a-kind anymore, kinda devalues it, but it's still an art piece and no different from a videogame in that sense.
Who told you it's not one-of-a-kind anymore ?
He can draw a new pattern for the digital engraver for each model.
@@fyodorkaramazov2136 and save the art for the next costumer
Those sticks are gorgeous!
Though on another note, is it just me or do I hear the notes from the Gears of War menu music?
I wish I could get one
UA-cam refuses to stop recommending this to me so im just watching it so it goes away. Neat walking canes though
I thought it was a massive silver joint on the thumbnail.
Those new ones look like tourists sticks, give me the real deal.
lovely work, wont make it through the airport unless its in a checked bag though.
This is the walking sticks I have been looking for! Any way to buy them via internet?
Dang I want one
Imma get one
Beautiful !!! I'm sure very pricey !!
I'm not one to scoff at computer design or say something is inferior in general, but something so rooted to tradition, area and culture is so beautiful......why ruin it with aluminum and machinery? The makhila is the literal physical embodiment of nature saying "you take care of me, I'll take care of you." I wouldn't ruin it with carbon fiber and Kevlar which....have been proven to be inferior time and time again when compared to natural fibers in durability and strength, like with the Mongolian bow experiment n such. If anyone would like to send me one...ill be over here geeking about how gorgeous they are.
I don't say this very often, because most comments are just paltry hallucinatory stuff, but you've taken the very words out of my mouth. I'm lucky enough to have worked in a quarter in the heart of Paris, where master craftsmen carried out some of the finest known furniture to mankind for nearly five hundred years. The very minute computers set in ... it's dead forever. Nothing in this world can replace the human hand or eye. It's pure folly, and it's an insult to everything beautiful created by Man over the last ten millennia.
makhila was originally made of the wood of lemon tree dried naturally in dark places away from the sun all though most of them vanished pyrénées once had a large population of bears (that's explains the hidden sharp point at the end of it)
VEI DORJE bears?))) What size this bears? Like a hamster? )))
Im from Mongolia and i seem to cant find any bows , only toys and souveniers but i found some hunting bows
Traditions must adapt with culture. I think it honors the old while showcasing the new. This is a new age we live in, and we're forming new tradition.
Need a link to this familys website
Whilst valuing the heritage of the past, I like the innovative direction including colour and computer etching for a finer and more detailed etching process. Aluminium being preferred due to local industry along with carbon fibre for strength and durability. Good to see craftsmanship is still at work on 21century development of heritage pieces.
Cane spear, I can get behind that. I love the traditions from around the world. I much prefer the traditional makhila.
The 3d printed ones looks soulless.
i make shillelagh`s from Blackthorn, this is interesting..I thought out two year seasoning was time consuming!
I once watched a film called the field . I knew the power of Irish sticks then .
Might be a difference in wood species, blackthorn is quite dense as it is. I'm glad people are keeping traditions alive
I need that engraver for myself though.
I have a sword stick but mine is english from the 1880s. Id had it for about 4 years before i even knew it was a sword stick as i bought it from a car boot sale for £2:50 so i got a bargain.
Just need to add a silver tip and you've got another strigoi disposer at hand
I want one.
'why ruin it with aluminum and machinery' ... looks bulky
I like too much wonderful hands made
OK, this is 2 YRS. old. I did a search to see if I might find one to purchase. Could not find any thing.
I notice you use fire to temper the wood maybe, could you explain?
Fire to straighten the sticks, it does offer some tempering. Not unlike violin bow making.
Stylist waking stick mumbai me kahan milega
How would I go about buying one?
so many people are talking crap about the newer once, i think they look nice, black and silver fit well together, you don't have to get them painted
I've know about these walking sticks for along time, but never could justify the expense. Now that I'm older, however, it looks like the perfect thing to buy.
But not one of those cheap, ugly sticks made of aluminum and carbon fiber, and then painted with colors so ugly they make you want to cut out your eyes.
Yes, the last moments were scrambling horror
Agreed. The modern ones seem to miss the whole point. The traditional stick is timeless in style, function and method of production.
Indeed to all of you. The guy in Spain was on the right track, what with representing the area, but he lost all credibility in my opinion with the garish nonsense in the last few seconds. On track, but missed the whole point of... Well, the point of the very concept of art, tradition and artistic tradition and integrity.
I couldn't afford one of these, but they are beautiful. I would be happy with either kind. I'm glad I live in a place that isn't stupid enough to make them illegal. Any government that criminalizes self-defense is a government that doesn't deserve to survive.
we are watching you.
How much? Where do you buy them?
Nunca oi de ese baston.....never heard of it....
Would like to buy one
I would like one. I often walk with a cane due to legal blindness and balance issues. How might I get one?
Where can we buy this
It's sad that the last guy doesn't really get that his can be mass produced in china, while the craftsmanship of the wood one is a one of a kind. and every branch is unique.
You do realize that last quote you put on the screen was b/c he is talking about using is to BEAT people. Right?
I should get one for my mom.
Drying for 15 years is just ridiculous for something that small.
I love how she pronounces "Bergara"
Interesting, might find its origin in Roman times vine staff, or centurion's staf. The British and Commonwealth armed forces still issue Pace stick, swagger stick and riding crop.
Emeric Catudal Egyptians have something like this that goes back to, um, ancient Egypt. They call it a shoom
Is that what those parade ceptors are based on?
i will buy one for my father
I embrace modern technology but this is ware i would draw the line.
yea this is ware i also draaahh the line thts just ill eagle
Guys don´t know about that h on makhila, we´ve always said makila here in the basque country...
I wish I was cool enough to use a walking stick
lol that quote at the end is a bit out of context
sure does make me want to buy a cane though
What kind of wood? Mettler wood?
this reminds me of the roman pila
That new one is super cool. Let me order one from China for 20 bucks
There is probably some way to speed up the process without going to aluminum, but of course then it would not have the same old world charm. I suppose that if you ensure that you prepare enough wood every year that it works out well after the first 30 year lull to get your first finished makhila...
So are these legal to carry around all the time? It would be considered a concealed weapon here in the UK.
its a sharp stick. If thats illegal having hands would be illegal too. You could use them to punch someone at any time!
@@2MeterLP Are you blind and deaf? The video clearly shows and describes how the end is sharpened metal, the handle conceals a blade and that the whole thing is designed specifically to be a weapon. And yes, if you walk the streets here with a sharpened stick, you can be arrested for it. Carrying anything with the intent to harm and without reasonable justification for its use is illegal.
Wow man...you cant even have knifes? But the criminals have guns, I hope you guys take your country back...peacefully of course. Did you guys ever have a constitutional right to bear arms?
@@buttgravey6719 You do realise that's the case throughout most of the world? The UK is more strict than most but most places have a basic "no weapons, and no knives unless it's for work" rule on knife carrying.
@@edwardchester1 I mean I knew, alot of countries did like Aussie. I didn't realize that it was so wide spread though..Best thing you can do is train martial arts. I just find it ludacris that as a people you dont have those rights to defend yourself or family. We live in weird times, security cameras on every street corner only catch the criminal after the crime has been commited.
Pull the other one, it's got bells on...
It’s sad that many of the Basque diaspora have forgotten their traditions, my family included.
Tbh tho.... the traditional ones have more heart poured out into making it~
How about my walking stick ?
06:04
There, see? It's beautiful.
No, it really isn't. Let the craftsman do the work, not modern artists, eyugh.